C17/2005 Transfer Centrelink social security age pension to DVA

Purpose

The purpose of this instruction is to provide procedures for a simplified process to transfer payment of social security age pension from Centrelink to DVA.

Background

From March 1998, DVA introduced the payment of social security age pension to Australian veterans who were receiving disability pension and who were not eligible for service pension.

Departmental Instruction 32/97 detailed the policy and procedures for these cases.  It directed that pensioners wishing to transfer from Centrelink after the initial bulk transfer, must lodge a new claim with DVA by completing a Centrelink Claim for Age Pension form.  This also applied in the reverse, ie someone wishing to transfer back to Centrelink from DVA.

Request for simplified process

In December 2003, Centrelink approached DVA with a request to consider streamlining the process so that it was similar to that for certain cases transferring from Centrelink to DVA's income support supplement.

The old process

State Offices report the following procedures for these types of cases:

Full age pension claim is sought from both veteran and/or partner

Full income and asset details are required

Full supporting documentation is requested

Full POI check is undertaken

TFN is required

Centrelink contacted only for transfer date.

Consultation

In June 2004 a workshop was held with State office experts to develop a preferred option to simplify the process.

The new process

The new procedure to be followed when a veteran wishes to transfer payment of age pension to DVA is:

Step

Details

Step 1

Enquiry triggers manual issue of new transfer form D664, Claim for transfer of payment of Centrelink age pension to DVA.

The form includes the following detail:

a tick box option for the partner also to transfer

limited personal information

Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN)

collection of a Tax File Number and

method of payment details

modified Proof of Identity requirement (ie 1 document from Category B list of documents).

Step 2

Once the forms are lodged at DVA, the claim should be registered in CMS as a DSS New Claim Age case.

Step 3

Contact Revesby Centrelink under the Certificate of Disclosure Agreement (using Form D664A Centrelink Age Pension Transfer Details) to obtain details such as:

a future cut-off date for clearance purposes

that Proof of Identity has been satisfied

residential and income and asset details

whether the person is blinded or visually impaired

nominee details if relevant

whether there are dependent children in the assessment

date last reviewed

eligible for Telephone Allowance.

Step 4

Once information from step 3 is available, process the case through PIPS and put it into payment.

Step 5

The grant advice must contain full obligations (a copy of You and Your Pension should be included for information) and full income and asset details.

Step 6

If there is any doubt about the accuracy of the information provided by Centrelink or if more information is required, eg more information about a property investment, a specific review should be triggered.  The Departmental Review System (DRS) should be used to initiate this review, which will issue a Statement of Circumstances (form D2589) to review personal and income and asset details.

Forms D664 & D664A

The new forms D664, Claim for transfer of payment of Centrelink Age Pension to DVA and D664A, Centrelink Age Pension Transfer Details are available via DVA Forms.  Here is a hyperlink to the DVA website:  /http://internet-mir — r — or/c — lientforms/

Centrelink clearance

For Step 3 in the above table, a fax request to Centrelink has been developed to enable a consistent approach to obtaining the details in this step, which will allow DVA to transfer age pension at the same rate Centrelink are paying.

NO contact officer

The contact in National Office for this instruction is:

Robyn Del Casale, Assistant Director, Business Improvement & Monitoring, Income Support.